This invention relates to the area of cosmetology, especially applications to the skin (cutaneous) and hair (capillary) and the objective is use of at least one lipid extract from the seed of the fruit of the mirabelle tree or the mirabelle in cosmetics, and cosmetic products (cosmetics) which contain at least one such extract.
The mirabelle is the fruit of a tree (mirabelle tree) which belongs to a very common genus (Prunus type, Rosaceae family) which includes especially the almond (prunus amygdalus) and the following edible fruits: apricot (prunus armeniaca), cherry (prunus avium, prunus cerasus), the peach (prunus persica), plums (prunus domestica, a genus which contains many subgenera). The exact botanical designation of the plants is prunus, of the subgenus Punophora, of the genus Insitisia, of the variety mirabelle.
The cultivation of the mirabelle tree which has taken place in northeast France since Roman times has developed out of the Mosel Departement, especially around the city of Metz.
Thus in 1994 the mirabelle harvest in France was estimated at seven million tons and the current primary sales areas of the fruit are canning factories (70%), distilleries (17%), fresh fruit consumption (12%).
A comparison of the oil content of the seeds of the different fruits of the Prunus genus except for the mirabelle and their fatty acid composition has been published in the xe2x80x9cCharacterization of the seed oil and meal from apricot, cherry, nectarine, peach and plumxe2x80x9d Kamel B. S. and Kakuda Y., Journal of the American Oil Chemists"" Society, 1992, vol. 69, no. 5, pp.492-494.
This article enables especially the statement that oils obtained from seeds and almonds of these different fruits have very similar fatty acid compositions and offer an interesting source for oleic acids (52-66%) and linoleic acids (28-35%).
Moreover it is known that almond seeds of edible fruits of the Prunus genus contain oils, of which some are used in cosmetics or pharmacology (sweet almonds, apricots).
Thus EP-A-0 105 876 discloses pharmaceutical compositions which contain especially a vegetable oil of the Prunus genus, preferably almond oil, and which are used to treat skin conditions (dermatological conditions).
In addition JP-A-01 313 414 and JP-A-01 038 014 relate to cosmetics which promote hair growth and which contain besides oil the extracts of plants, including prunus persica or prunus armeniaca. 
But there is no publication known to the inventor which relates to the use of extract from mirabelle seeds in the area of cosmetics.
But the inventor has ascertained that lipid extracts which have been obtained from mirabelle seeds have special properties and very good tolerance, for which reason they can be directly used in cosmetic products (cosmetics).
In addition, mirabelle seeds, especially in the cultivation and processing areas of these fruits, offer an extensive and economical raw material, evaluation of which is of interest.
The main object of this invention is therefore the use of at least one lipid extract which is obtained from the seeds of the fruits of the mirabelle tree as an agent for preparation of a cosmetic product for locally acting (topical) use in the area of the care of the skin, lips, mucous membranes and/or appendages of the skin.
According to a first feature of the invention the lipid extract consists of oil or one or more lipid fractions which were extracted from the almond-shaped seeds within the pits of the fruits of the mirabelle tree by a process which was chosen in the group formed by extraction by hot or cold pressure, extraction by solvents and extraction by supercritical CO2.
At least the indicated lipid extract can be added to the cosmetic product in raw, refined, deodorized or refined and deodorized form.
As examples for illustration, but not for limitation, two processes are described below relating to oil recovery from mirabelle seeds.